Benja is Home!

Yesterday my brother in-law returned home from Uganda with his newly adopted son Benja. My wife’s sister and her husband have been trying to adopt this orphan boy from Uganda for quite sometime. We are all so excited to have him home.

My brother in-law traveled to Uganda several times and sent back emails during his trip. Americans are not popular in Uganda and while he was there he hired a driver to help him get around. At night there was bombing and gunfire. He had been told to stay in his hotel and every time he went out, everyone stares and calls out "light man". He was told that he was in harms way. There has been risk of kidnappings and he risked his safety in attempt to help this boy. Below is an excerpt from one of the emails he sent.

Sent: Mon 10/22/07

Today, I went to the end of the earth, starting with bad roads to dirt roads to
no road at all, just a walking path, ending up at a mud house with mud floor.
It was raining and my driver thank God had a 4 x 4.  It took nearly four hours,
but the destination was important.  It was benja’s six brothers and sisters, and
his 78 year old grandmother.  we were invited in to sit on three small chairs
like ones made for kindergarten.  they were so happy to see their baby brother,
who they had not seen for 3.5 years.  They greeted him warmly, and his
grandmother gave me a chicken and an african sleeping mat.  I was told I could
not refuse, which devastated me because there were no other chickens.  When they
gave me gifts, i wept.  i just couldn’t handle that.  we brought food but they
have so little.  they  were turned away from school in a nearby village for lack
of money.

i never knew people could have so little.  they wanted for even a candle, and
the house was so dark where we met, i could not see them all unless they were by
the doorway.

On the way there, my guide knew the spot where Benja was born—on the side of
the road, where his mother gave birth and died.  she was in labor and on her way
to the hospital on a boda boda, which is a motorcycle taxi.  she fell off and died,
giving birth to benja as her last act of life.

please pray for these people and all like them.  Uganda is a place of real
wonder.  beauty, riches, poverty, and death.  I’ll never be the same.

Thank you for all your prayers.  i am being summoned by my driver that I need to go.